By Bart Greenberg***For her newest venture, String Theory, Deborah Stone gathered together three of the finest string musicians in the jazz/cabaret world today. Appearing on the stage of the Green Room 42, pianist Darryl Kojack, guitarist Sean Harkness and bassist Tom Hubbard joined Stone, a fine guitarist herself. There was a warm camaraderie and silent communication among 
them that made for a very special chemistry on stage. They all served as equal music directors for the evening, and vocal backup duties were also shared throughout. All of this under the subtle direction of Lina Koutrakos made for a totally satisfying evening.
String Theory was a very unusual show in that it was successful despite not having a central focus or theme as is usual in the cabaret world; there were simply very good songs that Stone particularly likes. And the compelling performances kept the proceedings moving forward. Stone has many qualities that make her a compelling artist besides her fine vocals. There are her hands, for instance. They are so expressive as they capture moments and convey the emotions of the selections. Between that ability and her posture (her early studies as a ballerina are very evident), Stone applied her knowledge of the power of stillness, such as when she caresses the classic “More Than You Know” (Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu), catching the torchy power of the piece without ever pushing.
There were high-energy numbers that got the room moving, such as “This Is My Night” (Chaka Khan) and “A Night in Tunisia” (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillepsie), which showed the ability of the quartet to all work together to create a natural high. Stone’s taste for the sultry was evident in works including “Hot in Here” (Amanda McBroom), “When the Sun Comes Out” (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) and even the send up of the satiric genre with “In These Shoes (Kirsty MacColl, Pete Glenister), delivered in a sexy and snarky style reminiscent of the late cabaret goddess Julie Wilson. The McBroom piece also formed part of a trilogy of material written by the singer-songwriters Stone is close to, including Tracy Stark (“A Better Place”) and director Koutrakos (the sexy “Oh, My, My”).
Somehow, all of these elements blended together just as the fine musicians blended together to create a musical montage of powerful impact. Let’s hope the quartet return soon to delight more audiences.
